Sliding rail

Abstract

A sliding rail adapted to be engaged with an engaging member, and includes a track and a limiting mechanism. The track includes a base wall having first and second ends, and two side walls. The limiting mechanism includes an operating member, a limiting member, first and second positioning members, and a connecting member. The limiting member has a limiting body, a pivoting portion, and two limiting portions. The operating member is formed with a linking slot that has a first linking slot end, a second linking slot end, and a linking slot tip. The limiting body has two pivoting slots. The operating member is operable to drive the limiting member to move among a locked position where the engaging member is contained in a limiting space, and first and second unlocked positions which opens the limiting space, allowing the engaging member to be released from the limiting space.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sliding rail adapted to be engaged with an engaging member, said sliding rail comprising:
 a track that includes
 a base wall, and 
 two side walls extending respectively and transversely from opposite sides of said base wall, said base wall having first and second ends that are opposite to each other and that are disposed between said side walls; and 
   a limiting mechanism that includes
 an operating member movably disposed on said base wall, 
 a limiting member pivotably connected to said base wall and said operating member; 
 first and second positioning members extending through said limiting member, connected to said base wall, and respectively proximate to and distal from said second end of said base wall; and 
 a connecting member extending through said operating member and said limiting member; 
   wherein said limiting member has
 a limiting body, 
 a pivoting portion extending from said limiting body, said connecting member pivotally extending through said pivoting portion and said operating member, and 
 two limiting portions extending from said limiting body, and spaced apart from each other; 
   wherein said operating member is formed with a linking slot that is inverted V-shaped, said connecting member extending movably through said linking slot, said linking slot having
 a first linking slot end, 
 a second linking slot end that is opposite to said first linking slot end, and 
 a linking slot tip that is disposed between said first linking slot end and said second linking slot end; 
   wherein said limiting body has two pivoting slots spaced apart from each other, said first and second positioning members extending respectively through said pivoting slots;   wherein said operating member is operable to drive said limiting member to move among a locked position, a first unlocked position, and a second unlocked position;   wherein, when said limiting member is in the locked position, said limiting portions and one of said side walls cooperatively define a limiting space that is adapted to contain the engaging member, and said connecting member is disposed at said linking slot tip of said linking slot;   wherein, when said limiting member is in the locked position, said operating member is movable away from said second end of said base wall to rotate said limiting member to the first unlocked position about said second positioning member by virtue of engagement between said connecting member and said linking slot, thereby opening said limiting space to allow removal of the engaging member from said limiting space, said connecting member being disposed in said second linking slot end of said linking slot when said limiting member is in the first unlocked position; and   wherein, when said limiting member is in the locked position, said operating member is movable away from said first end of said base wall to rotate said limiting member about said first positioning member to the second unlocked position by virtue of the engagement between said connecting member and said linking slot, thereby opening said limiting space to allow removal of the engaging member from said limiting space, said connecting member being disposed in said first linking slot end of said linking slot when said limiting member is in the second unlocked position.   
     
     
         2 . The sliding rail as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said limiting portions extend from said limiting body towards said one of said side walls and are inclined toward each other, each of said limiting portions having an inner inclined surface that faces the other one of said limiting portions, and an outer inclined surface that is opposite to said inner inclined surface. 
     
     
         3 . The sliding rail as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said base wall is formed with a sliding slot that corresponds in position to said linking slot, said connecting member extending through said sliding slot, said sliding slot being inverted V-shaped, and having first and second sliding slot ends that are opposite to each other, and a sliding slot tip that is disposed between said first and second sliding slot ends;   when said limiting member is in the locked position, said connecting member is disposed at said sliding slot tip;   when said limiting member is in the first unlocked position, said connecting member is disposed in said first sliding slot end; and   when said limiting member is in the second unlocked position, said connecting member is disposed in said second sliding slot end.   
     
     
         4 . The sliding rail as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said limiting mechanism further includes a first resilient member that has an end connected to said base wall, and an opposite end connected to said connecting member. 
     
     
         5 . The sliding rail as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said limiting mechanism further includes two second resilient members;   said operating member has an operating member body formed with said linking slot, and two abutment members respectively disposed on opposite sides of said operating member body; and   each of said second resilient members has opposite ends respectively connected to said base wall and abutting against a respective one of said abutment members.   
     
     
         6 . The sliding rail as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said limiting mechanism further includes two retainers fixed to said base wall, each of said retainers having a retaining slot that accommodates a respective one of said second resilient members.